Spring suspension for automobiles.



y G. F. 'VOIGHL spams susPENswN Fon AuroMolLEs. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2. |911.

1,258,280.` Batend Mar. 5, 1 91&

uNrrED s'rA'rnsv PATENT ori-uren GEORGE F. VOIGHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA,

SPRING SUSPENSION FOR AUTOMOBILES.

specification' of'Lett-ers raient.I Patented Mai-25,1918.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,235.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen F. VOIGHT, a citizen; of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have" invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring Suspensions for Automobiles, of which the following 1s a specification. w

My invention relates to improvements in .spring suspensionfor automobiles in which a suspension lever carrying an auxiliary coilsprmg works coperatively with principal leaf-spring. An objeetof the invention 1sto provide means that will assist the principal leaf-spring to cushion the automobile against the unevenness of the roadway, particularly .the minor and lighter bumps.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the imcntion resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the detail of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a rear side elevation of the right-handl portion of an automobile, showing a rear right-hand wheel, a portion of the rear'axle, theprincipal rear leaf-spring, a fragment of the body and frame, and my invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a rear side sectional view of lilyinvention, with a portion broken away.H

Fig. 3 is a top view of a portion of the invention withA certain parts in section, and certain other parts removed.

4Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the invention on line 'B B, Fig. 3, looking in'a direction from the body to the wheel of the automobile, a portion ofthe invention being removed and other portions being broken away.

Referring te the drawingN k1 designates the body and frame of an." automobile supported by a bowed principal v leaf-spring 2 disposed a suitable distance above, and kin line with, an axle housing 3 inside of which is journaled for rotation an aXle 4 supporting the wheel 5 provided at its inner side with a brake drum 6. At the outer end of the axle housing 3 is anl axle vhousing flange 7. 3 is'a ,perch rigidly fastened to 'the saidflange by means of the outstanding threaded portion 9 engagingv an opening therefor-through 'said flange. The perch8 n hasa.:Tlf-head,9,a

overhanging the brake drum 6,l and `ispro, vided wlthan eye 10 iii-.which is'disposeda pin 11 pivotally supportingthefoutenlend of an oscillatory suspension .lever12Lby means of the ears 13 having eyes 14jointly engaging the pin 11. v.Adjacent the outer end of the lever 12 isa web portion. 15 having one of its flat sides facing upwardwhich is provided withl an upstanding :annularlrib 16.` Over the web portiony 15 and overlapping the rib -16 fromthe outer side is vdis;-

posed, and secured byvmeans of screws 17 a cone shaped spring cover- 18, said spring cover 18l being provided with notches -19 adjacent its open end, for the reception `ofstiffening ribs 20 and the ears 13. A,Upon the upper side of the web portion 15, andsinf side of the rib 16, is seatedthe dilated end of a cone shaped spiral compression spring 21 supporting a. verticalhanger pin 22,the shank portion of thesaid pin beingV t'ted slidably through an opening in the ceri* ter of the web portion 15, thevupper. end'of Aspring 21, by means of the intermediate "con:

nection means provided byl thehangerlpin 22, yieldingly supports the said-principal 'leaf-spring 2,` and the said leaffspringgin turn yieldingly supports ,the body andLfralzme of the automobile. 5 ,n u The inner end of thesuspension lefve r 12 is supported by the frame andnbody ofxthe automobile, and is anchored thereto by means of an adjustable ,connectionY lIneailis consisting of a turn-buckle assemblygsfaid turn-buckle assembly comprisingan intere mediate internally threaded portioni28,`hay ing one end threadedrv in ,the conyentional right-hand mann threaded 1n;,ancoppositeor left-liancl,V ner. Said threaded ends threadedl ing theshank ends of eye-boltsQQQ/and 29' having eyes 30 and 30a respectively. The eye 30 ofthe eye-bolt 29 interlocks with the eye 81 at the inner end of the suspension lever 1:2, and the eye 30a pivotedly engages the pivot pin 32 which is suitably fastened to an under portion of. the frame or body of the automobile. The tnrn-bucl -le assembly is provided with a suitable oscillatory movement upon the pin 32, transversely relative to the frame or body of the automobile. By turning the said internally threaded intermediate portion QSof the said. turn-buckle assembly in the proper direction the inner end of the suspension lever 12 will be raised up relative to the body of the automobile, which would be desirable in case of a heavy load being carried by the automobile, and by turning the said intermediate portion Q8 in the opposite direction, the said inner end of the lever 12 will'be lowered relative to the body of the automobile, which would be desirable when the automobile is lightly loaded.

The inner end of the suspension lever 12 moves upwardly and downwardly with the upward and downward movements of the body of the machine, and approximately travels the same distances in said movements.

lVhile I have shown my invention as applied to the rear right-hand end of an automobile axle, it is obvious that it is applicable to the left-hand end as well as to the righthand end, and to the front as well as to the rear axle.

Having thus described my invention, l' claim:

1. A spring .suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal leaf spring and the axle assembly, an oscillatory lever having its outer end pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, a non-resilient connection between the inner end of the lever and the body, an auxiliary spring carried by the lever and a connection between the auxiliary spring and the outer end of the principal spring.

2. spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal leaf spring and the axle assembly, a lever having its outerend pivotedlysupported by the axle assembly, a non-resilient connection between the inner end of the lever and the body of the automobile whereby the said inner end will move lupwardly and downwardly with the. upward and downward movements of the body, an auxiliary spring carried 4by the lever, and a' connection between the auxiliary spring and the outer end of the principal spring, y

3. A spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal leaf spring and the axle lever, and a connection between the auxil iary spring and the outer end of the principal spring whereby the latter is yieldingly supported by the former.

Ll. A spring suspension for automobiles, comprising a 'principal leaf spring, an axle assembly, a lever pivoted at one end to the axle assembly, a support vertically movable relative to the axle assembly, a non-resilient connection between said support and the free end of the lever, and a resilient connection between the lever intermediate its endsl and the principal leaf spring.

5. A spring suspensionfor automobiles, comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal leaf spring and the axle assembly, of an oscillatory lever, the lever having an outer transversely dilated section over-hanging the outer'end of the principal spring and an inwardly extending section extending along one side of the spring and free to move relatively thereto, the outer section being pivotedly connected to the axle assembly, a vertically non-resilient depending connecting element having its 4upper end connected to the body and its lower end coupled to the innerend of the lever, a' spiral compression spring seated upon. the dilated section, and a connection between the` spiral spring and the principal leaf spring.

6. A spring suspension for automobilesv comprising, in combination with the vehicle body vand principal leaf spring and the axle assembly, of an oscillatory lever piv-y oted to thevaxle assembly and having a section over-hanging the outer end of the principal leaf spring and an inner section extending along one side of the spring so as to be free to move relatively thereto, a nonresilient connecting element having its upper end iexibly coupled to the body and its lower end flexibly coupled to the inner end of the lever, the arrangement being such that the said inner end is non-yieldingly vertif cally suspended from the body, and a connection between the lever and the, spring,

7. A spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal spring and the axle assembly, of an oscillatory lever pivoted to the axle assembly and having an inner section extending along one side of the principal spring so as to be free to move relatively thereto, a connecting element having its upper end liexibly coupled to the body and its lower end iiexibly coupled to the inner section of the lever, the connecting element being' non-resilient longitudinally, and a. connection between the lever and the principal spring. y

8. A spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal leaf spring and the axle assembly, of an oscillatory lever pivotedly supported by the axle assembly and having an inner section extending along one side of the said spring so as to be free to move rela tively thereto, a connecting element having its upper end coupled to the body and its lower end oscillatably suspended therefrom and flexibly coupled to the inner section of the lever, the element being nonresilient longitudinally of itself, and a connection between the lever and the principal spring.

9. The combination with an automobile.

ruiming gear and vehicle body and principal leaf spring therefor, a spring sus- `pension comprising a hanger rigidly supported by the ruiming gear, the hanger having an opening in its upper end, the opening extending transversely relative to the axle of the automobile, an oscillatory lever, the lever having at its outer end a relatively large circular portion, the circular portion having adjacent its' outer margin a pair of outwardly extending ears, the ears having transverse openings in their outer ends and over-lap one on each side the upper end of the hanger and sothat the openings in the one will register with the opening in the other` a pivot pinv fitted in said openings and threadedly engaging one of said ears,a non-resilient i adjustable connection between the inner end of the lever Aand the body, the connection permitting a cert-ain side' swaying of the body relative to the lever, the enlarged circular portion having an annular upstanding rim adjacent its periphery, a spiral compression spring seated upon the enlarged portion inside of the rim, and

a connection between the latter spring and the principal spring.

10. A spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the vehicle body and principal. spring and the axle assembly, of a lever having its outer end pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, the lever having anl outer section overvhanging thc outer end of the principal spring and a second and inwardly extending section disposed at one side of the spring so as to' be free to move alongside of it, an adjustableconnection between the automobile body and the-inner end of the lever, the arrangement being such that the latter is nonresiliently supported .bythe former at an otedly supported by. the axle assembly, thev lever having. an outer section lover-hanging the outer. end of the principal4v spring and a second and linwardly"extending section disposedat one side of the Yspri-ng'so as to be free to move relatively thereto, an adjustable connection between theautom'o! bile body and its frame andthe inner end of the lever, the connection embodying an upper` section connected to the automobile body or frame and a lower section connected to the'inner end of the lever and an intermediate nut section threadedly engaging said former sections, and a resilient connection between the leverand the outer end of the principal spring.

12. A spring suspension for automobiles comprising, in combination with the `vehicle body and principal spring and the axle as.- sembly, of a lever having its outer 'endl pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, the

lever having an outer Setion over-hanging,

the outer end of the principal spring and a second and inwardly extending'section disposed to one side of the said lspring so as to be free to move relatively thereto, an adjustable connection between the automobile bodyor frame and the inner end of the lever,

the arrangement being such that the vlatter los tions, and a connection between the leverand 1 assembly, an oscillatory lever, a pivotal connection between one end of said lever and the axle assembly, a support, the support being vertically movable relative to the axle assembly, a rigid link` connection between the support and the free end of the lever. the lever having a portion "of its free end bent to one side ofthe principal leaf lspring y so as to be free to work alongside .of it, an auxiliary spring carried by lthe lever, and a connection between the auxiliary spring and the outer end of the principal leaf i spring.

14, The combination withV a spring suspension for automobiles embodying .a prin-i cipal leaf spring, an axle assembly, a lever having its outer end pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, and a connection between the lever and the outer end of the spring,

of a connection. between the inner end of i.

the inner end of the lever, the latter conthe lever and either the body or the frame of the automobile, the connection being nonresilient but adjustable whereby the said inner end of the lever can be rion-resilientl)v suspended at a predetermined and alterable distance below the body or frame.

15. The combination with a spring suspension for automobiles comprising a principal leaf spring, an axle assembly, a. lever having .its Outer end pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, and a connection between the lever and the outer end of the spring, 0f a dependingv connection having its upper end pivotedly connected to either 'the body or the frame or the automobile and its lower end liexibly coupled to the inner end of the lever, the connection being non-resilient longitudinally but adjustable whereby the said inner end of the lever can be suspended at a predetermined but alterable distance below the body or frame.

16. The combination with a spring suspension for automobiles comprising a principal leaf spring, an axle assembly, a lever having its outer end pivotedly supported by the aXle assembly, the lever having an outer section over-hanging the outer end of the spring and a second and inwardly extending section disposed at one side ofthe spring so Leases@ as to be free to move relatively thereto, and a connection between the outer end of the spring and the lever between its ends, of an adjustable connection between either the body or the frame of the automobile and nectio'n comprising an upper .threaded section pivotedly connected to the body orv frame and a lower threaded section ieiiibly coupled to the inner end of the lever and an intermediate nut section threadedly engaging the aforesaid sections whereby the inner end of the lever can be either raised or lowered relative to the body or frame by turning said nut in the proper direction.

17. Thev combination with a spring suspension for automobiles comprising a principal leaf spring, an axle assembly, a lever having its outer end pivotedly supported by the axle assembly, the lever having an outer section over-hanging the outer end of the spring and a second and inwardly extending section disposed at one side of the spring so as to be free to move relatively thereto, and a connection between the outer end of the spring and the lever between its ends, of a connection between either the body or the frame of the automobile and the inner end of the lever, the latter connection being nonresilient longitudinally of itself and having its upper end supported by the body or frame and its lower end coupled to the inner end of the lever.

GEORGE F. VOIGHT. 

